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The Budapest Convention

The Budapest Convention on Cybercrime is aimed at modernising criminal law provisions to prevent computer systems from being used to facilitate sexual abuse and exploitation of children. 

The Convention seeks to strengthen protective measures for children against sexual exploitation by criminalizing various aspects of the electronic production, possession and distribution of child pornography (Article 9).

Furthermore, the Convention introduces procedural law measures and sets up a fast and effective regime of international cooperation to enable criminal justice authorities to effectively investigate cybercrime, including offences related to sexual exploitation and abuse against children.

council of europe legal standards

Council of Europe standards related to the protection of children and the promotion of their rights include numerous treaties and recommendations, in particular the:

  • Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (CETS 005)
  • European Social Charter (CETS 035)
  • European Convention on the Adoption of Children (CETS 202 as revised)
  • European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CETS 126)
  • European Convention on the Exercise of Children's Rights (CETS 160)
  • Convention on Cybercrime (CETS 185)
  • Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (CETS 197)
  • Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS 201)
  • Recommendation Rec(2006)12 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on empowering children in the new information and communications environment
  • Declaration on protecting the dignity, security and privacy of children on the Internet, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 20 February 2008
  • Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on measures to protect children against harmful content and behaviour and to promote their active participation in the new information and communications environment, adopted on 8 July 2009.
The Lanzarote Convention

The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, also known as the Lanzarote Convention, is a major step forward in the prevention of sexual offences against children, the prosecution of perpetrators and the protection of child victims.

The Convention contains many references to the use of information and communication technologies in the context of the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children. For example, it requires states to criminalise conduct such as knowingly accessing child pornography on the Internet.

Article 20 of the Lanzarote Convention was inspired by Article 9 of the Budapest Convention, thus the two treaties complement each other.

Technical cooperation

The Council of Europe supports countries worldwide in their efforts against cybercrime. Online sexual exploitation and abuse against children has been the focus of some of the cooperation and capacity building projects implemented by the Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC):

Relevant events

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Alexander Seger
Cybercrime Division
Agora Building
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
education and prevention

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